Garrett Scott: Seattle Seahawks Sign Draftee After Finding Heart Condition, Cut Him So He Can Get Paid

Garrett Scott signed Friday with the Seattle Seahawks and was cut almost immediately afterward.

The move by the Super Bowl champions may seem curious, but the real reason is actually pretty incredible. In the team physical, doctors found that Scott suffered from a rare heart condition that would prevent him from ever taking the field.

The Seahawks could have cut Scott right then and there and saved plenty of money, but they instead decided to sign him to a deal that would allow the Marshall player to get paid his first-year salary, reported Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

“After undergoing an extensive physical with our medical staff last week, Garrett’s examination revealed a rare heart condition that will prevent him from any on-field participation in the near future,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said in a statement. “We think highly of Garrett as a person and as a football player. The team is committed to supporting Garrett in the months to come and will continue to help him determine his next steps.”

Garrett Scott was the 99th pick of the 2014 NFL draft, and was expected to bring versatility to the Seahawks offensive line. At Marshall he lined up at four positions on offense — both tackle and guard spots — and was expected to compete for a job in what many considered the weakest position group on the Seahawks.

Scott had played 41 games at Marshall, but somehow made it through his entire career and then both pre-draft workouts and physicals without his heart condition being noticed.

This is not the only feel-good signing of the 2014 offseason. The New Orleans Saints recently signed Devon Walker, a former Tulane safety who was paralyzed from the neck down after colliding with a teammate during a 2012 game.

Walker had dreamed of playing in the NFL one day, and in the end got an honorary contract and some big props from New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton.

“I’m proud to be up here with him, and I’m super proud of his recovery and the way he’s handled this and the way he’s approached this,” Sean Payton said, via ESPN. “Obviously he’s been an inspiration to our region, to our community, New Orleans, the Tulane family, and it’s carried over to us on the Saints.”

Thanks to his new contract with the Seattle Seahawks, Garrett Scott will get a signing bonus and a salary of about $555,000.